Wildlife matters - AWC partnering to save Australia's endangered wildlife
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wildlife matters Issue 37 AWC partnering to save Australia’s endangered wildlife
It’s time to reverse the
tide of extinctions
The AWC mission
The mission of Australian Wildlife
Conservancy (AWC) is the effective
conservation of all Australian animal The recently published United Nations Global Assessment We have also recently announced that the Newhaven
species and the habitats in which they report painted a stark picture into the global biodiversity Stage 1 fenced area is now feral predator and herbivore
Contents live. crisis – nearly one million species are at risk of extinction free, triggering the finalisation of plans for translocations
To achieve this mission our actions are unless radical action is taken. In Australia, we are world of threatened species into the largest feral-free area on
focused on: leaders in mammal extinctions; 31 species have gone mainland Australia.
4 Indigenous partnership model extended to Wilinggin country extinct since European settlement, and a further 56
• E
stablishing a network of These successes have been achieved through the
mammal species are threatened with extinction.
10 AWC uncovering wildlife at Bullo River Station sanctuaries which protect dedication of AWC’s team of Ecologists and Land
threatened wildlife and This is an appalling record and is simply unacceptable Managers, delivering practical land management
14 Fighting fire with fire to protect the central Kimberley – we are putting at risk our natural capital, what makes
ecosystems. AWC now manages programs informed by good science.
29 sanctuaries covering more than Australia unique. We know that the main drivers of this
18 Investing in science to inform conservation Our strategy is clear:
6.5 million hectares (16.1 million extinction crisis in Australia include invasive species
22 Vital research extended to two new sites acres). (particularly feral cats and foxes), inappropriate fire • Deliver science-informed land management;
regimes and feral herbivores.
24 Last post for last cat • Implementing practical, on-ground • Construct a network of large-scale fenced areas
conservation programs to protect We cannot wait – the time to act is now. to secure the future of threatened species;
28 Endangered species find refuge in Wet Tropics the wildlife at our sanctuaries. The AWC team is reversing the tide of extinctions. Our • Invest in strategic research; and
32 Iconic Bilbies back in NSW national parks These programs include feral innovative model has allowed us to secure populations of
animal control, fire management iconic endangered species including the Purple-crowned • Pursue long-term solutions to control key threats to
34 Contract extended at Sydney landmark and the translocation of
Fairy-wren, Bilbies, Numbats and the Bridled Nailtail wildlife, such as gene drive technology (in partnership
endangered species. with CSIRO).
38 Translocation program set to secure 21 threatened species Wallaby.
• C
onducting (either alone or in AWC leads the way in new models for conservation. I We continue to do this in a cost-effective manner: 87
42 AWC launches $2 million matching challenge collaboration with other am very pleased to announce the partnership between per cent of your investment is spent where it counts
organisations) scientific research the Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation and AWC across – in the field. We continue to focus on accountability
that will help address the key and measuring the results of your investment with the
more than 1.7 million hectares of Wilinggin country in the
threats to our native wildlife.
Kimberley. Wilinggin Rangers and AWC Ecologists and continued development of performance scorecards that
• H
osting visitor programs at our Land Managers will work together to help care for the allow us to monitor and report on the ecological health of
sanctuaries for the purposes of country. This, along with the land protected through the our sanctuaries.
education and promoting Dambimangari partnership, spans one of the only areas
The UN Global Assessment is clear – we must act and
awareness of the plight of of Australia to have not suffered any mammal extinctions,
we must act now. We can make a difference. With your
Australia’s wildlife. protecting rare and endangered species such as the
generous support, we can continue to reverse the tide of
Golden-backed Tree-rat, Northern Quoll and the Black-
About AWC extinctions, and restore Australia’s biodiversity for future
footed Tree-rat.
generations.
AWC is an independent, not-for-profit Significantly, AWC’s model, skills and influence now
Cover image: organisation based in Perth, Western Tim Allard
extends across more than 4.3 million hectares of the
The complex rugged landscape of Wilinggin Australia. Donations to AWC are tax Kimberley region, working with Indigenous groups,
country. The view from the 100 meter drop of deductible.
Donkins Hill Falls Brad Leue/AWC pastoralists, and governments to deliver effective
Over the last 10 years, around 87 per conservation.
Australian Wildlife Conservancy Chief Executive
cent of AWC’s total expenditure was This follows the announcement of the innovative
PO Box 8070 incurred on conservation programs, partnership between AWC and Bullo River Station in PS: Your ongoing support is invaluable. As June 30
Subiaco East WA 6008 including land acquisition, while only the Northern Territory. AWC is delivering science and approaches please consider making a tax-deductible
Ph: +61 8 9380 9633 13 per cent was allocated to donation to AWC as part of the $2 million Matching
land management programs to protect the extraordinary
development (fundraising) and
www.australianwildlife.org conservation values of the property (including the Challenge. All eligible donations will be doubled,
administration.
Gouldian Finch and Wyulda) while Bullo River Station helping AWC accelerate its work to secure the future of
continues to operate as a pastoral business. Australia’s endangered wildlife.
3
Ground-breaking Indigenous partnership model
extended to help manage Wilinggin country
By Peter McKay, Northwest Regional Operations Manager
Photographer Brad Leue
Wilinggin country dominates the central Kimberley plateau Brad Leue/AWC
4 5
1. 2.
Australian Wildlife Conservancy AWC and WAC will now collaborate Grevillea form discrete riparian areas Purple-crowned Fairy-wren (Malurus
(AWC) and the Wilinggin Aboriginal in the management of this country, that typify the central plateaus of coronatus coronatus).
Corporation (WAC) have entered improving protection of an array of Wilinggin country.
The Ngarinyin people are also
into an innovative and ambitious threatened species while generating
This awe-inspiring country protects custodians of two nationally
partnership to work collaboratively sustainable income for WAC and
some of Australia’s rarest mammals, significant fish species – the Barnett
across 1.73 million hectares of the important socio-economic benefits
including the Black-footed Tree- River Gudgeon (Hypseleotris
northwest Kimberley, enhancing for Wilinggin Traditional Owners.
rat (Mesembriomys gouldii), kimberleyensis) that is only found
conservation science and land
Wilinggin country dominates the Monjon (Petrogale burbidgei), in the Barnett River system and the
management across a massive 4.3 critically endangered Freshwater
central Kimberley plateau. The Scaly-tailed Possum (Wyulda
million hectare conservation corridor. Sawfish (Pristis microdon).
rugged and expansive sandstone squamicaudata), Golden-backed
In June 2004, following a struggle of and basalt ranges stand resolute Tree-rat (Mesembriomys macrurus) The WAC-AWC partnership
over two decades, the High Court against time – an example of the and the Northern Quoll (Dasyurus
of Australia recognised the Wanjina- magnificent landscape cared for hallucatus). For many of these AWC is now working hand-in-hand
Wunggurr Community as the by the Ngarinyin people for around species, whose range once extended with Wilinggin to deliver a science
Traditional Owners of the Wanjina- 50,000 years. and land management program
across northern Australia, this part of
Wunggurr Wilinggin Native Title across the 1.73 million hectare
the Kimberley is their last remaining
The major waterways of the collaboration area, consistent with
Determination Area. refuge.
Drysdale, Hann, King Edward, the Wilinggin Healthy Country Plan.
Ngarinyin Traditional Owners Durack, Moran, Roe, Mitchell, Remnant populations of threatened The WAC-AWC partnership was
maintain a strong connection to Calder, Isdell, Charnley and and endemic birds that are known itself inspired by the successful
Wilinggin country and continue Chamberlain rivers carve through the from, or could potentially occur on partnership between AWC and
Images
to care for it. Wilinggin Rangers sandstone, revealing the iconic rocky 1. WAC Project Officer Lloyd Nulgit (far left), Wilinggin country include the Black the Dambimangari Aboriginal
have been working with Ngarinyin gorges and waterways that are such Wunggurr Rangers and Traditional Owners Grasswren (Amytornis housei), Corporation (DAC) to help manage
Kane Nenowatt and Robin Dann together
Traditional Owners for over a decade a prominent feature of the northwest with Traditional Owners and Incendiary
Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae), 800,000 hectares of Dambimangari
to look after the natural and cultural Kimberley. The sandy banks Machine Operators Cassidy Charles, Michael Northern Crested Shrike-tit (Falcun land, adjacent to the Kimberley coast
Nulgit, Tyron Burgu and AWC Regional Fire Images
values of the Wilinggin Indigenous lined with Melaleuca paperbarks, Coordinator Toby Barton prior to the joint 1.The AWC/WAC partnership adds 1.73 million
culus frontatus whitei), Red Goshawk – an area of international significance
Protected Area (IPA). Freshwater Pandanus, Ficus and prescribed burning operation Brad Leue/AWC hectares to AWC’s conservation portfolio AWC (Erythrotriorchis radiates) and the for conservation.
6 7
The partnership is the largest • On-the-job training will continue
science and land management to be delivered to help build the
program AWC is undertaking, and capacity and expertise of
brings AWC’s model of management,
Wilinggin Rangers and Traditional
partnership and collaboration in the
Kimberley to 4.3 million hectares. It Owners. In turn, AWC staff will
also expands the delivery of AWC’s learn traditional knowledge from
prescribed burning program to Wilinggin Rangers;
6.3 million hectares, the biggest
• AWC and WAC will work together
non-government fire management
program in the country. to develop culturally-appropriate
and environmentally-sustainable
AWC and Wilinggin Rangers will
business opportunities, and to
collaborate on the development
and implementation of annual leverage Government investment
activity plans for ‘right way’ burning, in Wilinggin activities;
biological surveys, and feral animal
• The project will support
and weed control. Periodic reporting AWC CEO Tim Allard and WAC Deputy Chair
1. will track key metrics, such as the Wilinggin in protecting cultural Robin Dann
density of feral herbivores, the heritage (especially sacred
The WAC-AWC partnership is vitally
extent of weed infestations, and sites and rock art) by aligning important. It will help protect a further
the success of prescribed burning visits to remote areas for land 1.73 million hectares of the northwest
regimes. management/science operations Kimberley, enhancing conservation
Fire management is a critical with cultural visits involving science and land management across
element of the partnership. Effective 4.3 million hectares of priority land
Traditional Owners when
prescribed burning (which aims for conservation in an area that has
operationally feasible to do
to replicate Ngarinyin people’s suffered no animal extinctions since
so; European settlement.
traditional burning practises and limit
the scale of late season wildfires) • The project aims to maintain/ It costs AWC just $1 per hectare per
protects wildlife habitat and cultural increase populations of annum to protect Wilinggin country.
sites, and generates carbon credits
threatened species that are Please consider making a tax-
which can be sold annually by WAC.
2. 3. known to be on or could deductible gift to AWC in support of
In addition to carbon income, the potentially occur on Wilinggin this landmark partnership.
project will deliver a range of other
3 land, (e.g., Northern Quoll,
socio-economic and conservation
outcomes: Gouldian Finch, Kimberley
Brush-tailed Phascogale, Brush-
• AWC will make an annual
tailed Rabbit-rat and Black-
contribution to WAC to help
strengthen its organisational and footed Tree-rat);
governance capacity in order • The project aims to reduce the
to ensure that Traditional
frequency and extent of late-
Owners remain strong custodians
season wildfires, to increase
of the natural and cultural values
of their native title land, which the amount and dispersal of
are important to all Australians, long, unburnt vegetation (critical
4. 5. recognising that Wilinggin for wildlife in need of food and
Traditional Owners are choosing shelter); and,
Images
to manage their land in a way
1. Regional Fire Coordinator Toby Barton and Wilinggin Ranger Cassidy Charles • The project will remove feral
checking equipment for the planned burn Brad Leue/AWC that protects and enhances
2. Gouldian Finch Wayne Lawler/AWC conservation values; animals and invasive weeds.
3. Purple-crowned Fairy-wren Wayne Lawler/AWC
4. Black-footed Tree-rat Eridani Mulder/AWC
5. Monjon Brad Leue/AWC
8 9
AWC partners with pastoralists to
protect threatened wildlife
By Dr Eridani Mulder, Senior Wildlife Ecologist
In the Northern Territory’s remote to run the property as a commercial
north-west, embraced by millennia- cattle station alongside a sustainable
old sandstone ranges, Australian eco-tourism operation. The
Wildlife Conservancy has entered into partnership model has the potential
a major new partnership to deliver to catalyse wider application on
conservation on pastoral land to help commercial pastoral land.
protect the region’s threatened wildlife
Uncovering Bullo River’s natural
and habitats.
treasures
AWC, in partnership with long-
term AWC supporters, Julian and In the late dry season of 2018, AWC
Alexandra Burt, are developing and ecologists set to work on a major,
implementing an exciting new model multi-year, biological exploration
to deliver land management and to uncover the secrets Bullo River
science across one of the country’s Station has been keeping. Equipped
most iconic commercial pastoral with remote camera traps, the AWC
stations. team completed the first round
of systematic scientific surveys at
Located 360 kilometres south-west
Bullo River. Based on their extensive
of Darwin, Bullo River Station covers
knowledge of similar ecosystems
more than 160,000 hectares of the
across northern Australia, the
NT that has exceptional conservation
ecologists set cameras deep within
value. Dissected sandstone plateaux,
gorge systems, across refugial
sweeping eucalypt savannah
paperbark-lined sand seep habitat at
woodlands, open grasslands and the
the base of ranges, and in protected
rich alluvial floodplains of the Victoria
patches of long, unburnt vegetation.
and Bullo rivers provide vital refuge
The initial camera trap surveys
for threatened wildlife. Like most of
northern Australia, the region is under involved more than 1,000 trap nights
threat from wildfires, feral animals and over two short visits.
weeds. Now under the ownership Sorting through thousands of
of the Burt family, the property is an images captured during the survey,
important site for conservation. AWC ecologists were astonished
Under the 10-year partnership to discover an exceptionally rare
agreement, AWC is contracted to Wyulda (Scaly-tailed Possum). This
protect wildlife and improve the record is significant as it represents a
ecological health of Bullo River momentous range extension for this
Station through the delivery of land species. Until AWC discovered the
management and conservation possum living in the upper tributary
science. In other words, no donation of Bullo River gorge, Wyulda had
dollars are needed for AWC to only ever been recorded in Western
manage Bullo River Station for Australia, more than 150 kilometres
Bullo River Station, Crater Lake Falls Brad Leue/AWC
conservation. The Burt family continue away.
10 11
1. 2.
1. 3. 4.
The possums are consummate will be reinforced by spotlighting prescribed burns at Bullo River.
rock-dwellers, easily navigating the surveys and remotely triggered
After just two years, the successful
rock ledges, vines and vegetation of camera traps. Around 2,000 trap-
exclusion of late dry season wildfires
vertical cliff walls, using their bare, nights are planned at Bullo River
this year. There has never been a from the station’s open savannahs
prehensile tail to hang from branches
to feed on young leaves, flowers and comprehensive ecological audit is already making a positive impact
fruit. Although superficially similar of the property, making AWC’s by increasing the age classes of
to the more common Rock Ringtail biological exploration of Bullo River vegetation across the landscape.
Possum, which may also occur at even more important. The data we This is generating positive benefits
Bullo (and is found sharing habitat collect will enhance our knowledge for wildlife dependent on cover and
with Wyulda at AWC’s Artesian of the property’s spectacular seed resources at specific times
Range Sanctuary), Wyulda are biodiversity values and help inform of the year, such as the nationally
more closely related to the group the ongoing design and delivery of endangered Gouldian Finch, small
of possums which includes the our land management activities to mammals and reptiles. The program
Common Brushtail and the Spotted control feral animals, fire and weeds.
is also boosting pastoral productivity
Cuscus. Despite a history of hot, late Delivering effective fire and protecting infrastructure.
dry season wildfire in recent years, management
the detection of Wyulda provides Under this innovative business
Like the rest of northern Australia, model, AWC and the Burt family
encouragement that other remnant
wildfire is a key threat to biodiversity are building a new template for
populations of declining mammal
and pastoral productivity in this
fauna, such as Golden Bandicoots the delivery of conservation on
region. AWC’s Wongalara Wildlife
and Black-footed Tree Rats, might commercial pastoral land. It is
2. Images
Sanctuary manager Chris Whatley
be holding on at Bullo River. 1. Bullo River runs through the heart of the property here that AWC has an opportunity
Brad Leue/AWC
has been delivering fire management
Setting up this year’s biological to demonstrate that conservation
2. The first image of a nationally endangered
at Bullo River Station since 2017
survey across the property has Images Gouldian Finch captured on Bullo River Station Brad with the objective of limiting the partnerships can work to
been sweaty work with AWC’s 1. Bullo River Station owner Julian Burt with Leue/AWC
frequency and extent of late season successfully deliver a positive return
AWC Senior Wildlife Ecologist Eridani Mulder, and 3. This camera trap image is the first evidence of on investment for both commercial
ecologists establishing 36 permanent Ecologist Stella Shipway Brad Leue/AWC
wildfires. Now that the 2019 wet
Wyulda in the NT AWC
monitoring sites in 33 degrees 2. Bullo River Station is in the remote northwest of 4. A Black-headed Python found in the woodlands
season in the north-west has pastoralists and Australia’s natural
celsius. AWC’s trapping program the Northern Territory. of Bullo River Station Brad Leue/AWC ended, Chris is busy implementing capital.
12 13
Fighting fire with fire to protect the
central Kimberley’s threatened wildlife
By Andrew Morton, Senior Field Ecologist
Ben Wooltorton lights up a backburn at Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary Melissa Bruton/AWC
14 15
AWC is committed to implementing its award-winning This cross-tenure project incorporates AWC-managed
EcoFire program across millions of hectares of the sanctuaries, pastoral stations and Indigenous freehold
Kimberley despite government funding being withdrawn. land. All stakeholders are closely involved in the design
and delivery of the prescribed burning program, which is
This innovative fire management program was the first
collaborative effort to control wildfires and limit the massive. For example, throughout March and April 2019,
damage caused on a landscape scale in the Kimberley. AWC staff flew 26,052 kilometres in light aircraft and
AWC’s neighbours around Mornington came on board in dropped 70,709 incendiaries.
2007. The program rapidly grew into the largest and most AWC’s team of land managers and field ecologists have
successful non-government fire management program in been delivering EcoFire for 12 years across more than
the country. three million hectares of the central Kimberley. (AWC also
Initially funded in part by a West Australian Government delivers ecologically friendly fire management across a
and Rangelands NRM grant, this vital program is now further three million hectares of the Kimberley, including
wholly funded by AWC through donations after the at Yampi, and together with Dambimangari and Wilinggin
government withdrew its funding in 2019. Aboriginal Corporations).
Implementing Australia’s largest non-government fire Measuring success
management program The success of the project is measured against key fire
The central tenet behind EcoFire is to incorporate metrics, such as the percentage of each property burnt
Indigenous land management practices with modern in controlled burns compared to late season wildfires,
science and technology to deliver large-scale fire and the distance between burnt and unburnt patches of
management that generates positive outcomes for vegetation. By applying objective metrics to measure the
threatened wildlife. success of EcoFire, AWC can determine whether we are
delivering a positive return on investment.The results are
Historically, northern Australia’s Indigenous people would
1. light fires throughout the year for various purposes, such
exceptional and show that since the inception of EcoFire
there has been a clear shift in the seasonality of fires from
as hunting (to flush game and provide fresh growth to
the late dry season to the early dry season. Wildfires in
attract grazing animals), clearing areas to allow transit,
the central Kimberley have been reduced by more than
and burning to promote desirable plants or protect
50 per cent, delivering benefits for wildlife, for climate
important cultural sites. Moving across the landscape,
change and for pastoral productivity.
they created a mosaic of burnt and unburnt patches.
The distance between burnt and unburnt vegetation has
The onset of pastoralism in the 1880s, however, resulted
also been reduced, making the latter more accessible to
in the dispossession of Aboriginal people from their
traditional lands. By the mid-1970s, many Indigenous species like the endangered Northern Quoll and Gouldian
land management practices had ceased. Finch, improving their chances of survival. The impacts
of managing fire are multiplied when feral herbivores are
Without people in the landscape intentionally also removed, with the abundance of small mammal
managing fire, the patterns quickly changed. The lack populations doubling in just a few years after destocking.
of traditional burning across the Kimberley resulted
in the accumulation of fuel loads across much of the Catalytic impact
landscape. During the build-up season (typically October The catalytic impact of EcoFire, the first and largest
to December), ignitions such as lightning strikes, caused collaborative aerial burning program in the Kimberley,
intense, large-scale wildfires to occur under hot, dry has also been significant. Several programs now use
conditions. These high-intensity fires burnt vast areas (in methodologies informed by EcoFire, and it has evolved
the order of millions of hectares) every one to three years, from individuals managing fire on their own property
killing trees and changing the composition of vegetation – or not managing fires at all – to virtually the entire
2. 3. communities. The restructuring of the landscape in this Kimberley implementing some sort of early dry-season
way, coupled with introduced herbivores and the invasion fire management program.
of feral cats, have driven the decline of many small native
Images
animals. The changed fire regime has also reduced EcoFire is strengthening the central Kimberley
1. Cool and patchy early season burns like this minimise vast and destructive wildfires
pastoral productivity. community, facilitating cooperation between land
Please support Ecofire and help save the in the Kimberley. Nick Rains/AWC
managers to tackle any wildfires that do start, and
Kimberley’s threatened wildlife. 2. EcoFire distance to vegetation unburnt for three years in 2006 (Fire scar data
EcoFire aims to reduce the size, intensity and frequency
supplied by North Australian Fire Information) inspiring the inaugural Kimberley Regional Fire Training
of fire by shifting its seasonality from the late dry season
$20 will support the delivery of fire 3. EcoFire distance to vegetation unburnt for three years in 2018 (Fire scar data and Knowledge Exchange hosted by AWC at Mornington
supplied by North Australian Fire Information) – when it is most damaging – to the cooler, early dry
management across 100 hectares of the Wildlife Sanctuary in 2018.
season when fire is mostly benign. This way, unburnt
central Kimberley (20 cents per hectare). vegetation, especially long unburnt vegetation, is more For more than a decade, EcoFire has helped to change
accessible to the native animals that depend upon it fire patterns and restore biodiversity across a vast area
for food and shelter. It helps small mammals to hide of the central Kimberley. With your support, AWC will
from feral cats and ensures that seeds from a range of continue to deliver EcoFire and build on the exceptional
grasses are available for animals, such as the nationally- returns that this program is generating for the central
threatened Gouldian Finch, that depend on that diversity. Kimberley’s threatened wildlife.
16 17
Investing in science to inform
conservation management
By Dr John Kanowski, Chief Science Officer, and Dr Liana Joseph, National Science Manager
Our world is precious. Nature is under threat. Species are baseline data are collected to enable us to measure the
disappearing, along with their intricate interactions. We impact of our actions over time.
must do something! What can we do?
A great deal of thought goes into the development of
These are the thoughts, feelings and sense of connection the plans that underpin this work. Ecologists draw on
that motivate us to conserve wildlife. But what should we conceptual models of interactions between species, their
do? Where should we start? Which species most need habitats and threatening processes to determine which
our assistance? These questions go to the role of science species, habitats and threats should be the focus of
in conservation. Our heads, as well as our hearts, must monitoring activity [Fig. 1]. Surveys are then designed to
be engaged for conservation to be effective. obtain the required information – considerations include
One of the distinguishing features of AWC is the scale the number of sites and their distribution (by habitat and
of our investment in science. AWC currently employs space) across a property, the intensity of surveys at a
more than 50 professional field ecologists, including site, the frequency of surveys, and what sort of methods
24 with PhDs. Across the continent, we undertake the and equipment should be used. Ecologists draw on
most extensive biodiversity survey program in Australia, their experience, analysis of existing data, the literature
involving more than 220,000 trap nights every year. Our and discussions with peers to determine optimal survey
internship program provides intensive training in fieldwork design and allocation of effort. Over time, as data is
for eight to 10 ecology honours graduates every year. accumulated, the optimal design is refined. Technological
We collaborate with external researchers from most advancements also change the equation. The
Australian universities, CSIRO and some international development of remotely-triggered cameras has allowed
research groups. AWC to greatly increase survey effort for small-medium
sized mammals across remote landscapes whereas such
The purpose of AWC’s science program is fundamentally surveys once relied on live-trapping, which is labour-
simple – to provide information to make our conservation intensive and limited to a few sites at any time.
activities more effective.
The primary purpose of EcoHealth monitoring is to
Monitoring for EcoHealth provide AWC ecologists and managers with information
On new properties, our ecologists conduct inventories on the status and trends of key species and threats.
to find out what species are present. This is the fun stuff, Armed with this knowledge, managers can make
choosing a promising-looking location on Google Earth, informed decisions about whether to intervene in a
and dropping in by foot, 4WD, boat or helicopter to system and how best to direct resources, such as to
conduct a survey. As we go to press, we are conducting increase predator control if populations of threatened
inventories on Bullo River Station, where our ecologists mammals are in decline. Determining whether changes
have recorded the Wyulda (Scaly-tailed Possum) for the observed in monitoring programs are of conservation
first time ever in the Northern Territory. Other inventory concern however, can be challenging – particularly in the
work is being conducted on our new partnership boom-bust conditions that prevail over much of Australia
programs in the Kimberley: Dambimangari and Wilinggin where species undergo large variations in abundance in
lands. response to environmental conditions.
Once we have established a reasonable inventory of At AWC’s Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, in the Kimberley,
species present on a property, we implement EcoHealth populations of small mammals have gone through two
monitoring to track the status and trend of key species, cycles of boom and bust in the past 15 years [Fig. 2]. With
Senior Field Ecologist Chantelle Jackson checking traps Brad Leue/AWC
as well as threats to those species. Where feasible, such large natural variations in abundance, it is difficult
18 191.
Fig. 3. Overview of AWC’s science program
Figure. 1. Conceptual model of interactions between conservation assets (species, guilds, ecosystems) and threats in Australia’s northern savannas.
Source: Kanowski et al. (2018). to discern any underlying signal. AWC’s monitoring • research attempting to train Northern Quolls to avoid
program in the Kimberley has been designed to tease eating cane toads currently invading the Kimberley,
out the impacts of AWC’s conservation management using the concept of ‘conditioned taste aversion’.
from underlying natural cycles. Survey sites have been
All AWC’s research projects are aimed at improving
stratified by grazing history, among other factors; our the conservation of our wildlife and their habitats.
survey data shows that small mammals on Mornington One of AWC’s strengths is our capacity to integrate
have responded positively to destocking across all science and land management – for example, in the
phases of the cycle. This information, coupled with feral predator ecology project, AWC’s land managers
targeted research on the ecology of small mammals, feral conduct fox baiting, while AWC ecologists monitor
cats and fire, has led to a deeper understanding of the the density and movements of feral cats and foxes.
factors driving mammal decline in northern Australia. As The diagram above illustrates the main components of
a result, AWC has sharpened its focus on the effective AWC’s science program, and the links between them
management of introduced herbivores and fire, to better [Fig. 3]. Importantly, as shown in the diagram, expertise
conserve mammal populations. in conservation management is held by both ecologists
A third major area of activity for AWC’s science program and land management staff, who work together to
is applied conservation research. At present, AWC staff devise conservation strategies on AWC properties.
are participating in 40 active research projects. Major Land management staff generally implement fire, weed
research themes include the ecology of threatened and feral animal control, while the ecologists are tasked
wildlife, and how to best implement management to with conducting inventory, monitoring and research, as
improve the conservation of threatened wildlife. Some described above.
current projects include; The purpose of our work is to improve our knowledge of
the remarkable biodiversity we protect and ensure we are
• studies of the response of native plants and animals,
efficiently and effectively protecting the native species and
and ecological processes, to the reintroduction of
the natural world that we are a part of, have responsibility
locally-extinct mammals to fenced areas on AWC’s
for, and care about. The integration of science with land
sanctuaries;
management at AWC means that science informs our
• research on the ecology of feral cats and foxes, and on-ground actions, enables us to measure our progress,
Figure. 2. Small mammal abundance on Mornington, 2004-15, at sites stratified by grazing. Native mammals varied widely in abundance on a multi- their response to control, aimed ultimately at continuously refine our approach and direct resources to
year cycle, but were more abundant on destocked sites at all times. AWC unpublished data.
facilitating the safe release of threatened mammals where we can generate the most positive conservation
outside fenced areas; and outcomes.
Image
1. Nicole Palmer, Senior Field Ecologist, setting traps during a translocation AWC
20 21Innovative feral cat and fox research
extended to two new sites
By Dr Andrew Carter, Wildlife Ecologist, and Dr David Roshier, Regional Senior Ecologist (Research)
Since 2015, AWC ecologists at encounter rates with cameras, and control (for cats, these methods
Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary have individual identity of photographed are still in development) and having
been undertaking one of the most animals. When combined with reliable methods for estimating the
important research projects in analysis of images from monthly population density of feral predators
Australia on the ecology of feral cats camera-trap surveys, these data (the current focus of AWC’s research
and foxes ‘beyond the fence’. Now have facilitated robust estimates of at Scotia).
this research is being extended to population density of foxes at Scotia
the Pilliga and Mt Gibson Wildlife (on average, eight foxes per 10,000 Expanding the research
Sanctuary. hectares). AWC’s efforts are now The research at Scotia is now
focused on estimating the density expanding in scope to include
For three years the AWC team at
of feral cats, although this is more fieldwork on two other sites – at
Scotia has been undertaking this
challenging as cats have been more the Pilliga project site in New South
1. research in a bid to help us manage
nomadic at Scotia than foxes during
foxes and feral cats more effectively Wales, and at AWC’s Mt Gibson
the period of the research project. Wildlife Sanctuary in Western
in open (unfenced) landscapes.
These predators kill more than 2,000 Phase 2: Examining the response of Australia.
animals every minute in Australia. foxes and feral cats to fox control The research at the Pilliga involves
While there is no existing strategy
In October 2017 fox control was the deployment of an array of
or technology that can provide
implemented in the experimental camera traps across 15,000
an effective control nationwide,
study area at Scotia for the first time hectares. Feral cats and foxes
fenced predator-free areas, like at
in more than five years. Nine foxes will be caught in this area during
Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary, offer an
fitted with GPS collars were present winter 2019 and fitted with GPS
immediate and permanent refuge for
in the study area when fox baiting collars to track their movements
threatened wildlife. AWC manages
commenced, and within one month, and monitor the effectiveness of
the largest cat and fox-free areas on
eight of those nine foxes were dead. predator control activities. One cat,
mainland Australia, but even at the
As baiting removed all except one trapped in late 2018, has already
scale built by AWC, these fenced
of the collared foxes, estimates travelled more than 170 kilometres
safe-havens still only cover a small
of fox density, for this period, will across the region. This research will
proportion of Australia’s landscape.
need a different methodology that provide crucial insights into how
AWC’s research project incorporates does not require individual foxes to the findings from Scotia relate to
four linked phases, with the ultimate be identified in photographs. Work other environments. Importantly, it
goal being to identify whether the is continuing on developing this will help to refine the methodology
2. density of cats and foxes can be method, with results likely to be
for calculating population density
suppressed (in the absence of a available in the second half of 2019.
estimates of feral cats and foxes –
fence) to levels that are low enough
Phase 3: Examining the response something that, until now, has not
to permit native mammals to
of foxes and feral cats to integrated been possible to achieve in Australia.
increase, or in the case of regionally
fox and cat control
Images extinct species, to allow them to re- Ultimately, this research will enable
1. Collaring feral cats allows Dr Andrew Carter and the AWC team to learn more about the animals’ behaviours and range AWC establish self-sustaining populations. Implementation of this phase of the AWC and others to measure and
2. The yellow line is made up of dots that show where a female cat travelled in the Pilliga, covering hundreds of kilometres AWC project will be dependent on AWC improve the effectiveness of feral
Phase 1: Developing reliable
obtaining regulatory approval for predator control at a landscape scale
estimates of the density of foxes
deployment of cat baits in NSW. for the benefit of Australia’s native
and feral cats
Phase 4: Reintroducing threatened wildlife.
Since October 2015, AWC has fitted
mammals ‘beyond the fence’ At Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary,
Please support AWC’s ground-breaking research for controlling feral predators ‘beyond the fence.’ 28 foxes and 30 cats with GPS
collars outside the conservation Progressing to this phase will be cameras will be deployed across
$150 will purchase a cage trap for catching feral cats and foxes fence at Scotia. These collars dependent on our ability to maintain 12,000 hectares to monitor changes
$500 will fund a scientist delivering research in the field for one day have collectively yielded more fox and cat populations at low in predator densities in response to
than 200,000 location data points. densities for an extended period of control measures, with the aim of
$4,000 will help purchase a GPS collar for essential scientific research
The telemetry data have enabled time, hence the importance of having facilitating the reintroduction of the
estimation of home-range size, an effective means of feral predator Western Quoll and Brushtail Possum.
22 23Last post for last cat
By Dr Danae Moore, Wildlife Ecologist, Dr Rachael Collett, Wildlife Ecologist,
and Josef Schofield, Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary Manager
AWC’s landmark project to restore threatened and Benedict were able to build up a picture of
mammals at Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary has individual cat movements and patterns of behavior,
reached a milestone, with the eradication of all and this information was supplemented by a vast
feral predators from the Stage 1 fenced area. This array of motion-sensor camera traps.
major accomplishment paves the way for the first
As the eradication progressed, this unique
mammal reintroductions, scheduled to commence
combination of skills was used to pinpoint the
later in 2019.
remaining cats. They worked consistently for 314
It has taken a lot of work to get to this point. In days and finally, on 4 December 2018, the last feral
March 2018, the main gate to the 9,400 hectare cat was caught: a female weighing more than 2
feral-proof area at Newhaven was closed, marking kilograms.
the completion of construction work on the 44
It was a remarkably effective operation which
kilometre, feral predator-proof fence. At over 1.8
made use of traditional hunting techniques and the
metres high – and consisting of 9,000 posts,
18,000 support rods and 135 kilometres of wire latest technology. Less than 12 months after the
netting – this fence is a major piece of Australia’s fence was completed, this mammoth undertaking
conservation infrastructure. has now created mainland Australia’s largest feral
predator-proof area.
Next came the formidable task of eradicating feral
animals – including feral cats, foxes and rabbits – January 2019 marked the beginning of an intensive
from within the fenced area. The scale of the job monitoring period, designed to confirm the feral-
called for an expert on-ground team, who between free status of the Stage 1 area. Over the four
them brought a wealth of diverse trapping and months since, 100 kilometres of tracking on four
tracking experience. Starting two months before consecutive mornings every two weeks has been
construction on the fence was completed, our two conducted. Additionally, data from 139 infrared
professional feral animal control officers, Murray cameras has been collected and analysed.
Schofield and Liam Orrock, worked in tandem with Intensive monitoring has shown no sign of any
AWC’s Newhaven Warlpiri Rangers – Christine Ellis, cats remaining within Stage 1 for several months,
Alice Henwood and Benedict Mosquito – to clear enabling us to declare the area feral predator-free.
the Stage 1 area of feral cats. At 9,400 hectares, Newhaven is now the largest
Benedict, Christine and Alice are exceptional feral predator-free area on mainland Australia.
trackers with decades of experience tracking cats AWC manages more cat and fox-free land on
in Newhaven and the surrounding region. Their mainland Australia than any other organisation. This
approach is to follow fresh tracks, continuing includes Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary, which until now,
their pursuit in some instances for many hours, at 8,000 hectares, held the title of being the largest
until the cat tires and can be caught. Murray and cat and fox-free area on mainland Australia. With
Liam used complementary techniques, carefully Newhaven declared feral predator-free, AWC is
setting soft-jaw and cage traps, and laying baits. now working on an ambitious program to restore at
AWC Land Management Officer Duncan Jungala Gallagher and Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary Manager
Josef Schofield at one section of the 44km fence Wayne Lawler/AWC Their efforts were strategically targeted, informed least ten threatened mammals that have been lost
by the rangers’ tracking work. Alice, Christine to central Australia back to Newhaven.
24 25Three species are proposed for reintroduction to work at Mallee Cliffs National Park), Alice Springs
Newhaven in 2019 – Mala, Red-tailed Phascogale Desert Park, and Zoos South Australia. As well as
and Numbat. Mala are extinct outside fenced areas providing phascogales for the reintroduction project
on the mainland, while both Red-tailed Phascogale at Newhaven, animals from the captive breeding
and Numbat have been lost from more than 99 program may be used to further supplement Mt
percent of their historic range and have completely Gibson’s Red-tailed Phascogale population; and to
disappeared from the Northern Territory. contribute to a second captive breeding program
A small population of Mala has already been at Monarto Zoo, to help establish a population at
established at Newhaven (within a smaller, Mallee Cliffs National Park in New South Wales.
purpose-built 150-hectare fenced area), following The third species scheduled for reintroduction to
an emergency translocation from Watarrka in Newhaven in 2019 is the Numbat. AWC already
late 2017. This population was supplemented in protects 50 per cent of the total population of this
2018 with animals from an insurance population nationally endangered species within our existing
maintained at AWC’s Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary.
network of predator-free havens.
AWC plans to transfer the remaining Mala from
Scotia in 2019, if conditions on Newhaven are Newhaven represents the northern known limit of
considered adequate to support translocating the Numbat’s historical distribution, prior to the
animals (like much of Australia, the sanctuary is decimation wrought by feral predators. Numbats
currently experiencing a drought). would be sourced initially from the captive
population at Perth Zoo and from wild animals
Red-tailed Phascogales are a small, insectivorous
at AWC’s Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary. Rigorous
partly arboreal marsupial that once occurred
monitoring following the translocation will track
throughout most of arid and semi-arid Australia,
1. including the deserts of Central Australia. Predation survival, home range and habitat preferences of
by feral cats and foxes, combined with loss of Numbats in this arid environment.
habitat, caused the species to contract to a Reaching this important milestone means AWC
few remnant woodlands in the West Australian is on track to restore some of Australia’s most
wheatbelt. threatened mammals to central Australia. With the
AWC has conducted a series of successful first translocations kicking off this year, Newhaven
translocations of Red-tailed Phascogales to Mt will soon be home to a diversity and abundance
Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary in Western Australia, of wildlife approaching that which existed prior to
where the reintroduced population is becoming the arrival of Europeans. As reintroductions into
established. In May 2019, AWC ecologists Stage 1 proceeds, AWC is beginning initial planning
translocated 20 Red-tailed Phascogales from wild for Stage 2. Projected to encompass a massive
populations in the WA wheatbelt to Mt Gibson. 100,000 hectares, this ambitious project will be
Another 20 phascogales were flown to Alice the largest feral cat eradication on the planet and
Springs, in the Northern Territory, to supplement a is ultimately expected to see the populations of
captive breeding program at Alice Springs Desert at least 5 threatened Australian animal species
Park. The captive population will ultimately become doubled.
a source for reintroductions into Newhaven when
Newhaven Feral Animal Eradication Report Card
conditions are suitable.
Effort
Phascogales will be released into woodland
habitat within the Stage 1 fenced area, in an • 5,338 soft-jaw trap nights
2. 3. • 100 hours spent tracking cats
area containing old, hollow-bearing bloodwoods.
Images
Across central Australia, many of these old trees • 154 kilometres walked tracking cats
1. Red-tailed Phascogale Brad Leue/AWC
have been lost due to changed fire regimes. The • 139 infra-red cameras deployed
2. AWC Animal Control Officer Murray Schofield with the • 10 x 1080 meat baits laid for foxes
last cat that was inside the feral predator-proof fence phascogales will also be provided with nest-boxes,
David Fraser/AWC to increase the number of available nesting sites • 120 kilograms of 1080 baited oats laid for
3. Red-tailed Phascogales were once widespread and facilitate post-release monitoring. rabbits
throughout western and central Australia
AWC’s current and upcoming work with the Results
Red-tailed Phascogale represents a collaborative • 46 cats removed
Return Red-tailed Phascogales to central Australia | $1,500 will pay for the return of 1 Red-tailed effort towards the conservation of the species, • All rabbits eradicated
Phascogale to Newhaven and involves the West Australian Government, • 2 foxes removed
AWC will be translocating Red-tailed Phascogales to the newly constructed feral predator-free area in 2019. Your New South Wales Government (through our • 9,400 hectares declared feral predator-free
gift will return one Red-tailed Phascogale to Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary, including captive breeding, veterinary
services, transport and monitoring.
26 27Endangered Northern Bettongs find
refuge in Wet Tropics
By Dr John Kanowski, Chief Science Officer,
and Jessica Koleck, Wildlife Ecologist
Australian Wildlife Conservancy Across the continent, predation by
together with Queensland Parks and feral cats, changed fire regimes and
Wildlife Service (QPWS) are forging habitat degradation caused by feral
an exciting alliance to implement a herbivores have driven bettongs to
monitoring and research program the brink of extinction. So much so
aimed at protecting Australia’s that the Northern Bettong is now
natural treasures across three considered one of the 20 mammal
national parks in north Queensland’s species most likely to go extinct in
Wet Tropics Heritage Area. Mt the next 20 years. Recent surveys
Windsor, Mt Spurgeon and Mt Lewis indicate the largest of the remaining
National Parks, and AWC’s adjacent populations, in the Lamb Range near
Brooklyn Wildlife Sanctuary, are Cairns, supports fewer than 1,000
known hotspots for biodiversity. individuals.
The program, which commenced in Northern Bettongs are a keystone
2017, is revealing crucial information species, delivering important
about the survival of keystone ecosystem services in the forest
species like the Northern Bettong and woodland habitats they
(Bettongia tropica). occupy. Eating and dispersing a
huge diversity of ectomycorrhizal
Priority species, which play a vital
fungi, they are essential for tree
role in maintaining forest health, are
health. Their loss spells tragedy for
the focus of particular attention for
conservation and imputes long-
this innovative initiative between term negative consequences for the
AWC and QPWS. ecological communities of which
Northern Bettongs once ranged they are part.
across a vast area, from central Almost all previous research on the
Queensland to the Wet Tropics Northern Bettong has focused on
of northern Queensland. Since populations in the Lamb Range,
European settlement, however, with very little known about the
populations of this small marsupial other remaining population in Mt
have undergone a catastrophic Lewis and Mt Spurgeon National
decline and, in the last few decades, Parks. Historically, Northern
have disappeared from most of their Bettongs also occurred on Mt
former range. In fact, two of the last Windsor National Park, but there
Northern Bettong Wayne Lawler/AWC
four remaining populations have have been no records since 2003.
vanished in the last 15 years. Extensive camera surveys of Mt
28 29Windsor, conducted by AWC and QPWS across 98 These collars recorded the location of bettongs every
sites in 2018, did not detect a single Northern Bettong, 20 minutes throughout the night for an entire month.
suggesting that the Mt Windsor population is now Data collected from the collars is now being analysed.
locally extinct.
AWC surveys in the Wet Tropics have also targeted the
Fortunately, a population of the species has persisted
occurrence and behaviour of feral cats. Camera studies
across Mt Lewis and Mt Spurgeon National Parks.
revealed feral cats frequented waterholes and utilised
Camera trapping by AWC and QPWS has detected the
Northern Bettong at 39 of 230 sites over only 1,500 dry creek beds. They avoided roads, perhaps because
hectares. of the large number of dingoes that seem to prefer
using them. Surveys detected feral cats at a much
Trapping surveys conducted by AWC, with the
higher frequency at Mt Windsor (where the population
assistance of QPWS and the Traditional Owners,
of Northern Bettongs appears to have gone locally
Western Yalanji Aboriginal Cooperation, resulted in the
capture of 13 individual Bettongs. Traps covered one extinct) than at Mt Lewis and Mt Spurgeon.
third of the site and the results suggest the population Feral herbivores, such as cattle, have adversely
is small, perhaps only 50 individuals. Genetic impacted Northern Bettong habitat on Mt Lewis and Mt
samples were collected to help determine whether
Spurgeon. Cattle have trampled and eroded sensitive
the population is maintaining genetic diversity which
plants and heavily grazed the grassy understory.
risks being lost when populations are small due to
genetic drift and in-breeding. Baseline health and body Northern Bettongs rest during the day in clumps of
condition assessments were also conducted. grass, mainly Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra), and
they feed on the tubers of Cockatoo Grass (Alloteropsis
One of the known threats to the Northern Bettong is
semialata) during the dry season. Cattle reduce the
loss of habitat through inappropriate fire regimes. Fire
suppression has led to an invasion of rainforest plants availability of both food and shelter for bettongs. They
and weeds and the loss of a grassy understory. QPWS, also reduce grassy fuel loads, making it difficult for
which has been managing fire in the area, successfully managers to successfully implement fire management.
burnt an area of forest that had been subject to QPWS and Western Yalanji are installing a block fence
thickening in December 2017. No Northern Bettongs to reduce the impact of grazing by cattle who wander
were detected in this area before the fire. However, over from neighbouring pastoral stations.
seven months afterwards, as small patches of grass
began to reappear, AWC’s surveys detected Northern By joining forces, AWC and QPWS have successfully
Bettongs at a number of sites. These results show confirmed the presence of the Northern Bettong at
Northern Bettongs have recolonised these formerly Mt Lewis and Mt Spurgeon, and have improved our
degraded habitats – an essential step in conserving this knowledge about the key threats to their survival. The
small, restricted population. data gathered from this project is providing crucial
AWC ecologists have deployed GPS collars on eight guidance about the land management actions that
Northern Bettongs to track their movements and must be implemented in order to effectively secure the
provide crucial data on home range and habitat use. future of this keystone marsupial for all Australians.
This project is supported by the Australian Wildlife
Conservancy, through funding from the Australian
Government’s National Landcare Program.
Senior Field Ecologist Andrew Howe measures the tail of a Northern Bettong AWC
30 31Iconic Bilbies return to New South Wales
National Parks
By Dr Rod Kavanagh, Senior Ecologist
A remarkable milestone was reached in December logs and other fallen timber. The landscape has been
2018 when, as part of the NSW Government’s Saving quickly transformed by small foraging pits and burrows
Our Species program, AWC restored Bilbies to a NSW – the Bilbies living up to their moniker of ‘ecological
National Park, more than a century after going locally engineers.’
extinct. Their return to the public estate is a powerful
This frenetic activity by our native diggers has not been
demonstration of our ability to turn back the tide of
seen in a national park for more than 100 years. Bilbies
extinctions in Australia. Now, early monitoring results
were last seen in NSW in 1912. Once widespread
indicate that these iconic Australian mammals are
across much of Australia, predation by feral cats and
adapting to their new environment.
foxes and competition with feral herbivores, like rabbits,
The first ever translocation of locally extinct Greater have seen Bilby populations collapse.
Bilbies (Macrotis lagotis) to the Pilliga forests of NSW
AWC’s network of fenced safe-havens, now protect
involved the release of sixty Bilbies (28 males, 32
15 per cent of the global population of Bilbies and are
females) into a specially-constructed fenced area,
providing important source populations of Bilbies for
safely tucked into the 5,800 hectare feral predator-free
rewilding efforts, like this one in the Pilliga. To highlight
zone. Half of the Bilbies were sourced from AWC’s
the significance of this initiative, the Bilby population
Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary with the remainder coming
in the Pilliga is projected to grow to an estimated 850
from Thistle Island, off the coast of South Australia.
animals – equivalent to almost 10 per cent of the current
Geneticists from the University of Sydney confirmed this
Australian population.
mix of source populations would deliver the best genetic
diversity in the new Pilliga population. Returning extinct mammals to NSW National Parks
All 60 Bilbies were fitted with uniquely numbered Our historic partnership with the NSW Government
microchips to allow for individual identification and will see at least five other regionally extinct mammals
VHF radio-transmitters were attached to the tails of reintroduced to the Pilliga in the next two to three
35 animals (21 males, 14 females) so their survival, years, making it one of the nation’s most important
movements and behaviour could be monitored in endangered species projects. The five animals are the
the weeks immediately following release. A subset of Bridled Nailtail Wallaby, Brush-tailed Bettong, Western
Bilbies also received detailed health examinations by a Barred Bandicoot, Plains Mouse and Western Quoll.
veterinary team from Sydney’s Taronga Zoo. The feral predator proof fence will also protect extant
mammals including the Eastern Pygmy Possum and
As dusk fell, each Bilby was safely released into the Pilliga Mouse, and threatened bird species including
fenced predator-free area. AWC ecologists have since Bush Stone Curlew and Speckled Warbler.
been monitoring their progress through a combination
of spotlighting, trapping and remote cameras. Seven Next steps: building a field-operations base
Bilbies were recently detected by spotlighting, and The NSW Government is investing over $40 million as
a further four were trapped over four nights. Despite part of the Saving our Species program to establish
prevailing hot and dry conditions, all the recaptured three predator-proof fenced areas, two of which are
animals had put on weight and were in good condition. being developed and managed by AWC. Under the
partnership model, the Government is contracting
Among the animals trapped during the survey was a
AWC to establish large feral predator-free havens at
new female Bilby that was possibly a pouch young at
Mallee Cliffs and the Pilliga, as well as to implement a
time of release, the first recorded in a NSW national
Bilbies were released into a feral predator-free area in the Pilliga in December 2018, more framework for measuring ecological health and deliver
park in more than 100 years.
than a century after the species were last spotted in the wild in NSW Brad Leue/AWC conservation land management at each national park.
The Bilbies have settled well into their new environment, As our contribution to the partnership, AWC is now
within days each digging a burrow (up to three metres focused on constructing a dedicated field-operations
We need your help to construct a field-operations base for AWC staff in deep) in the sandy soil. Interestingly, most burrows base for AWC staff working on-site. This on-ground
the Pilliga. $500 will help purchase building supplies. were initially dug in open clearings similar to those used infrastructure is critical for building on our capacity to
at the less-forested source locations (Scotia, Thistle deliver a world-class science program (AWC undertakes
Please make a tax deductible donation to help save endangered Island). However, it became evident that the Bilbies 15,000 trap nights every year in the Pilliga) and practical
mammals and roll out this exciting new model for conservation. soon became more selective with regard to where they land management services, such as feral animal control,
dug burrows, choosing locations such as under large across 35,000 hectares of the Pilliga.
32 33You can also read
